Why is the French cut method sometimes employed when preparing slightly tougher, older pole beans?

It can help manage the slightly chewier texture without requiring an overly long simmer.

The French cut technique involves slicing vegetables, including bean pods, lengthwise into strips, often referred to as julienning. This specific preparation method serves a practical culinary purpose when dealing with pole beans that have matured past their peak tenderness and possess a noticeably chewier or tougher texture. By slicing the pod longitudinally, the overall thickness of the bean flesh exposed to heat is reduced, creating more surface area. This structural alteration allows the heat and moisture of the cooking liquid to penetrate the fibrous tissue more effectively and rapidly, thus helping the cook achieve a desirable level of tenderness in a shorter cooking duration than would otherwise be necessary for those older, tougher pods.